Eleven-year-old Elli McLaughlan says smoke alarms save lives after a fire started by an electric blanket on her bed gutted her family's home in Westport yesterday.

Critics of proposed link between West Coast and Milford Sound say $250 million costing should be more like $2 billion.

The Local Government Commission has ended a month of consultation on the future shape of West Coast councils.

The first six months of 2016 were set to be the warmest start to the year yet, based on data from seven weather stations, including Hokitika.

Andrew Durant was convicted of a charge of procuring other drugs, after being caught fossicking for magic mushrooms.

A small West Coast community has rallied around the parents of baby Emily Saunders who was swept into a swollen river as the search continues for her body.

A rock which is rarer than pounamu and found only in South Westland, is to be investigated to see if it can be sold commercially.

A woman working on a farm owned by her father and stepmother was forced to leave after a heated argument.

Police this evening announced they would no longer search for the body of the 2-year-old girl, who was swept away down the Poerua River last Thursday.

Toddler was swept away while car she was in crossed West Coast river.

Bad weather means the search won't continue today for a 2-year-old washed away by strong currents in a West Coast river.

Police have suspended their search today for a missing 2-year-old on the West Coast, due to bad weather.

Conditions on the West Coast are set to worsen over the weekend and teams would resume looking for Emily on Monday, if they could.

The search for two people whose vehicle plunged into a river near Hari Hari on the West Coast was suspended last night due to poor weather.

Majority of community members oppose proposals by regional council to fund sea wall extension via targetted rates hike.

The number of West Coast orthopaedic patients transferred to Christchurch has skyrocketed despite assurances "less than a dozen" would occur each year.

A West Coast farm worker who fled to Australia after being charged with the rape of a young girl has today been found guilty on all charges.

Solid Energy, which is being broken up and sold, has applied for consent to start a small mine near Reefton, allowing it to retain staff.

The area has just endured its wettest May ever, smashing a 139-year-old record.

The Government today top-up after subcontractor prices came back higher than expected.

A job subsidy scheme aimed at providing 20 new jobs in Buller over two years is underway.

Six-metre swells and heavy rain have taken off another half-a-metre of beach frontage near Punakaiki Beach Camp

Police have charged a 22-year-old man with arson in relation to three fires in Westport's main street in recent months.

Buller suffered a mini-tornado, lightning strikes and power cuts this morning as thundery squalls swept through the district.

A 60km police chase of four youths speeding in a stolen car through West Coast valleys yesterday afternoon ended when the vehicle left the road.

A honey cart owned by a New Zealand man facing cocaine trafficking charges in Australia has been taken by a man who claims to be owed $5000.

Three tornadoes, hail as big as a tennis ball and 2000 lightning strikes were reported on the West Coast yesterday -- with another front forecast to strike later today.

Wild winds sweeping the country have caused serious disruption to flight schedules, caused power outages and closed roads this evening.

A grassroots rugby team have been accused of making racist remarks about Polynesian rugby players during a local game.